


The Four Corners of Christmas

by EtoileLeadSama, JuliaFC



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Adrinette | Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Christmas Fluff, F/M, Fluff, Humor, Ladrien | Adrien Agreste/Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Ladybug, Ladynoir | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng as Ladybug, Marichat | Adrien Agreste as Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Miraculous Ladybug Love Square
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-31
Updated: 2021-01-31
Packaged: 2021-03-17 23:48:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29108817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EtoileLeadSama/pseuds/EtoileLeadSama, https://archiveofourown.org/users/JuliaFC/pseuds/JuliaFC
Summary: All four sides of the Lovesquare get their own little corner in this fluffy story as Adrien, Marinette, Chat Noir and Ladybug exchange Christmas presents, and eventually end up exchanging more than just Christmas spirit. Expect fluff, romance, stammering flustered Marinette, flushed Ladybug and Adrien, kisses, reveals... did I say reveals? Adrienette, Marichat, Ladrien and LadyNoir fluff. Written as a Christmas present for our beloved heart sister, Agrestebug.
Relationships: Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug
Comments: 17
Kudos: 80





	The Four Corners of Christmas

**Author's Note:**

  * For [AgresteBug](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgresteBug/gifts).



**The Four Corners of Christmas**

**Written by:[Etoile-Lead-Sama](https://archiveofourown.org/users/EtoileLeadSama) and JuliaFC**

**Beta:[Khanofallorcs](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Khanofallorcs/pseuds/Khanofallorcs)**

**Cover art:[Rose Manley (Rosehealer02)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/rosehealer02/pseuds/rosehealer02)**

**Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by (c) Thomas Astruc, TS1 Bouygues, Disney Channel, Zagtoon, Toei Animation. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended.**

**Written for our beloved heart sister:[AgresteBug](https://archiveofourown.org/users/AgresteBug).**

**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**  
  
[ ](https://ibb.co/rM9nr5Z)  
  
**xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx**

Time seemed to have frozen in the small park in the heart of Paris where an outdoor photoshoot was taking place. A girl with raven hair and bluebell eyes stood taking shelter under a large tree, watching a blond boy with forest green eyes being photographed.

Marinette had patiently stood in the cold December air for several hours, watching Adrien smile for the photographer of a large magazine. The day before, at the end of their school day, the boy had explained to her and their friends that this photoshoot was special and, for once, he was happy to take part in it. That, for once, his father had accepted that he would pose for a special and unique album, which would be the first prize for a charity’s Christmas raffle. What really made Adrien happy was that this charity allowed orphaned or hospitalized children to receive gifts for Christmas. 

Marinette would never have missed a photoshoot where she knew Adrien would have fun, for once. Even if that meant she lay still in the cold for hours. 

She had been thinking of an excuse to justify her presence there for a long time . Eventually, thanks to Tikki’s suggestion, she had decided to bring along her Christmas present for the boy. She didn’t know if she would have another chance to give it to him from now until Christmas, so it had made sense.

“Five minute break!” shouted the photographer to his team, moving his attention away from Adrien.

 _‘It's now or never.’_ Marinette took a deep breath, tightened her grip on the gift she was holding in her hands and… then she deflated. She couldn’t. Her imagination began to run wild and she saw in her mind that had she reached for Adrien now, she would surely get her feet caught in the wires of the spotlights, causing herself and everything else to fall, breaking thousands of euros of professional equipment. Adrien would have been so disappointed with her, because he really cared about this photoshoot. And his father…

“Marinette? What are you doing here?”

The girl jumped, her catastrophic scenario thoughts interrupted suddenly by Adrien’s soft voice. She looked up at his emerald eyes she loved so much and blushed before answering... or rather _attempting_ to answer,

“Ah ... Adrien. I came to admire you.”

Adrien raised an astonished and confused eyebrow before Marinette realised what she had said. She blushed all the more and tried to explain herself. 

“Nnn… no, what I meant was that I came to see how beautiful you are ... er ... the beautiful photoshoot, that is. You, you are not beautiful, you are perfect…. a perfect friend of course. Aha.”

Marinette's shoulders slumped and she bowed her head: she knew she wouldn’t be able to do it. A hand rested on her shoulder and she lifted her head to meet Adrien's soft gaze. A small smile stretched his lips and Marinette’s heart sped in her chest.

They started chatting, discussing many different things, especially their plans for the holidays. Yet, Marinette still couldn't find the courage to give him the package she was holding tightly to her side, so that Adrien wouldn't see it.

“Break is over! Let’s start the next take!” the photographer shouted again.

Adrien gave Marinette a sad smile. “I would love to chat a little longer with you, but…” He pointed at the photographer, who was looking at them annoyedly. Then, suddenly, he leaned towards Marinette and placed a soft kiss on her cheek, almost on the corner of her lips. “Thank you very much for coming, Marinette. I'm so glad you're my friend.”

Marinette's heart started racing from the kiss, but then tightened at his words; of course, she was only his _good friend_ . A friend who had been waiting in the cold for hours to give him the gift she had made with her own hands. A gift she didn't dare give him. But, _that_ he didn't know...

Adrien began to move away and Marinette also turned around, getting ready to go home, sad not to have been able to give her gift to the one she loved. Her gaze met Tikki's, who encouraged her silently. What she read in her little companion's gaze gave her a surge of self-confidence. 

Marinette spun around and started running towards Adrien, shouting his name so that he would stop before reaching the photo shoot again. “Wait, Adrien!”

The blonde froze in surprise and turned towards her. She waved her present in her hand and almost threw it at him, but eventually changed her mind.

“Actually, I came to—” She met the surprised gaze full of hope of the boy she loved and again lost all her courage. “— take your Chresent presmas ... sell you your giftmas… give you your Christmas present.”

Adrien looked on in pure amazement at the package he was holding before asking the raven haired girl, “Is it for me?”

Marinette, who didn't trust her ability to speak, just nodded. Adrien's gaze lit up with joy and a smile of pure happiness stretched his lips. Marinette's heart melted: a smile like that was the best gift ever. 

The blond turned to the photographer and gave him a pleading kitten look. “Pierre, can we have five more minutes, please?” He pointed at Marinette and added, “My wonderful friend here has just given me a Christmas present. I would love to thank her properly, if you don’t mind!

The photographer looked at the gift, at Adrien and at a tomato red faced Marinette, and smiled knowingly. “Five minutes, no more.”

Adrien smiled again, thanked the photographer warmly and then took Marinette's hand to lead her to her dressing room.

Finally sheltered from prying eyes, Adrien carefully placed the gift on a small table and grabbed Marinette's second hand in his, frowning. “How long have you been here, Marinette? Your hands are so icy!”

The bluenette looked down and answered in a small voice, “Half an hour… maybe an hour… or more…” She didn’t have the heart of telling him that she had been there waiting for several long hours. But the second she spoke, she was in Adrien’s arms as he wrapped her in a warm embrace. 

“You should have given me a sign that you were there instead of staying alone in the cold,” he scolded her softly before releasing her.

Marinette's heart was pounding madly in her chest and her breathing had become less regular, but Adrien didn't notice as he looked longingly at the small package on the table.

Marinette waited a few seconds to be sure that her voice wouldn’t be shaking before telling him in a soft tone, “Open it! You seem to want to.”

“Really? Can I?” Adrien's childish enthusiasm was infectious and she curled her lips in a smile as she slowly nodded. The blond boy didn’t wait any longer and opened his present with haste, revealing a beautiful pair of gloves. Adrien held his breath. “Did you make them yourself? For me?” he asked, completely stunned.

Marinette began to blush again and stutter again. “Of nourse. I mean, of course. For the boy I l—, ah, I mean, my boyf— uh, I mean, my friend. My very good friend. Haha!” 

The next moment, Adrien was hugging her again, a smile so bright it could cause poor Marinette to go into cardiac arrest. “Thank you! Thank you! Thanks, Marinette.”

The bluenette smiled enthusiastically. That reaction was the best kind of thank you anyone could give her. 

“I will put them on immediately and ask Pierre to keep them for the photoshoot!” 

Marinette's eyes widened; he couldn't do that, right? She saw him put the gloves on and admire them with eyes full of joy. Then, he suddenly lost his brilliant smile and looked at her sheepishly. 

“After this wonderful gift, the one that I have for you will suck!” He sighed.

Marinette's heart was on a roller coaster that afternoon. She was so surprised that she forgot to stutter. “You have a present… for me?” she asked.

“Of course,” Adrien said in a daze, before going back to admiring the gloves and comparing them to his ‘lame’ present.

But Marinette heard nothing more: Adrien had _thought_ of her. He had a present for her. She could die happy. Her mind raced and she began to dream that Adrien was on one knee to declare his eternal love to her and then…

A red envelope appeared before her eyes, pulling her out of her reverie. She looked at the envelope blankly and took it mechanically off his hands.

“I hope you will like it anyway,” muttered Adrien, rubbing the back of his neck in embarrassment.

Full of curiosity, Marinette hurried to open the envelope and had a quick peek inside. There were two concert tickets. Concert tickets for…

“YOU GOT ME PLACES FOR THE NEW YEAR'S CONCERT OF JAGGED STONE?!” Marinette was over the moon. Not only had Adrien thought of her and gotten her a Christmas present. But said Christmas present was none other than tickets for the concert of Jagged Stone. And not just the average tickets. Two VIP seats! She and Alya had tried so hard to get them but they had sold out too quickly.

Adrien rubbed the nape of his neck again in embarrassment. “Oh it's not much, Marinette… I thought you could go with Alya…. Do you like it?”

Marinette gave him a huge smile and, due to an impulse of pure joy, she kissed him on the cheek. “It's a wonderful gift, Adrien. Thank you so much!”

xXx

Marinette watched Adrien return to pose for the photoshoot. She saw that he blushed when the photographer spoke to him and the girl wondered what the man could have said to the blond model. However, she was floating so high on her small cloud of happiness that she didn’t think about it for long. Adrien loved her gift and, even better than that, _he_ had given _her_ a present! A preset for her! VIP seats to Jagged Stone’s concert! He hadn’t given them to Alya, or to Chloé, but to _her_ , Marinette!

The girl turned around to make her way home, hopping and humming with happiness. She entered the bakery and cheerfully greeted all the customers. Her parents exchanged a knowing look and, when Marinette walked past her mother, she asked her,

“I suppose he liked your present?”

Marinette gave her mother a huge smile and nodded.

“I told you, Marinette: he could only love the gloves. I don't know anyone who doesn't like gifts made from the heart.”

A curious client seemed to have been listening to their discussion and added, “Indeed, those are the best gifts. What did you get your boyfriend, Marinette?”

The bluenette turned scarlet before responding in a small voice “Hum, he's just a friend, Madame Lafouine.”

The old woman smiled softly. “Did he give you something too?” she asked Marinette, as Sabine attended to another client.

Marinette's bright smile returned immediately on her lips, and she proudly displayed her concert tickets. The old woman gave a small hiss of admiration as she looked at them. “Well, I must say that this young man seems very serious about you!”

Sabine and the woman exchanged a knowing look that Marinette didn’t see, as she was still floating on her little cloud.

xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx

When he was finally alone in his room, Adrien spent some time admiring the gloves Marinette had given him for Christmas. 

He had managed to convince the photographer to allow him to wear them towards the end of the photoshoot… or, to be more exact, the photographer had finally accepted to do it after Nathalie had sought approval from Gabriel (and obtained it!). 

Adrien had marvelled at how soft and warm the gloves were. So when his father had asked to see them the moment Adrien had returned to the mansion, the boy had accepted wholeheartedly; it was one more chance for him to show his father how talented Marinette was. The older man had examined them in silence and had asked him two or three questions about them. He had finally returned them to his son, telling him that the work was okay, with a weak smile on his lips. This amounted to a big compliment, coming from him.

The blond sighed and carefully put the precious present away next to the scarf his father had given him for his birthday the year before. His gaze fell on a small red velvet bag he had hidden in the cupboard and he picked it up. It was the gift he had planned to give Marinette in the first place and then, after much thought, he had changed his mind: she was too clever, she would have ended up joining the dots and understanding that he was Chat Noir. 

Now Adrien regretted his decision; Marinette deserved to receive her gift. Even if she seemed happy with the concert tickets, Adrien knew that she would never have told him that she didn't like his present, or let it look like that she was disappointed with it. He sighed again.

“You can still give it to her, _gamin_!” Plagg's voice startled the boy, who ended up looking at him in surprise.

“But I already gave her a present, Plagg!”

The little black cat winked at him before responding, “You have, yes, but not Chat Noir!”

xXx

That evening, it was Chat Noir's turn to patrol the streets of Paris. He loved to run on the rooftops of his beloved city and would never turn down an opportunity to do so. Civilians greeted him when they saw him and he smiled at them, just happy to be loved for who he was and not for what he appeared to be. How ironic to feel so free behind a mask?

Chat Noir helped an old lady cross the road, rescued a small kitten stuck in a tree and once again distracted little August from one of his temper tantrums by flicking his bell at him. He loved to help people and being able to do what he wanted without fear of his actions negatively affecting his father’s image brought even more happiness in his heart. 

Little by little, the streets began to again fall silent as the hour progressed and people returned to their homes. Chat Noir also loved his city like this, when he felt it belonged to him. He started to run from roof to roof, faster and faster, and when he stopped his steps he noticed that they had led him not far from the familiar roof of a certain bakery.

The feline wondered if his friend Marinette was well, suddenly worried that she’d caught a cold while waiting for him to take a break from his photoshoot today. But he only hesitated briefly before proceeding towards the bakery—although unfortunately the place was in the dark. He sighed in disappointment and was about to leave when his gaze dropped to the road underneath him and,a few alleys away, he saw the girl he was looking for. She was walking alone at night in the dark and deserted roads of Paris. Not a smart move; the Capital could be dangerous at that time!

So Chat Noir extended his baton and in three bounds, he found himself on the roof above Marinette. She must have been on the phone because he could hear her talking. As quietly as a real cat, he slipped into the alley, waited a few moments to verify that she hadn't heard him, and then spoke aloud, somewhat amusedly, “Good evening, Princess.”

Marinette jumped and Chat Noir couldn't help but smile at his little prank. The girl turned towards him and gave a huge sigh of relief when she recognised the feline.

“Chat Noir! You scared me!”

The feline smile widened as he approached her. “I must admit that it was my aim, Marinette. It’s not very wise to walk in the streets of Paris on your own at this time at night.”

Marinette seemed to want to say something, but then changed her mind. She nodded and said, “I was at my friend Alya’s, you know, the Ladyblogger. Time passed without me realising it. When I saw what time it was, I hurried to leave, but it was already dark.”

The feline nodded, but added, “Next time, ask someone to pick you up or drop you off. I wouldn't want anything to happen to you.”

Marinette and Chat Noir blushed at the same time when they both understood what he had said. He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment and clarified, “Of course, I would say this to anyone.”

“Of course,” said Marinette, laughing nervously.

A strange atmosphere fell upon them for a minute, as both Chat Noir and Marinette felt too embarrassed to do anything. After a while though, the feline sighed and spoke again.

“Apart from Ladybug, you're my only friend when I wear this mask, Marinette. I always worry a little more for you than for the other inhabitants of Paris.”

The girl widened her eyes in surprise at his words before blushing slightly. “Thank you, Chat Noir.”

He then gave her a little wink and bowed to her, holding out his hand. “Would you accept, Princess, that this humble knight in black spandex escorts you to your home?”

Marinette gave him a funny look and chuckled. She then put her hand on his and mimicked his words, “Knight Chat Noir, I accept your proposal; this poor helpless Princess is in need of a protector against the dragons she could meet on the way.”

The feline gave the girl a big smile and, with a quick and supple gesture, he took her in his arms bride style. Marinette let out a small squeal and the hero said, before she could argue about it, “The best way to avoid dragons is to avoid the paths where they are. Hang in there, Princess.”

He waited for the bluenette to tighten her grip on his neck. Then, he jumped again on the rooftop with his baton. A few jumps later, he landed softly on Marinette’s balcony and put her on the ground.

“Thank you, Chat Noir.”

“It was my pleasure, Purrrincess.” He saw Marinette roll her eyes, so he extended his baton again, ready to go, but Marinette caught him by the tail.

“Wait, Chat Noir.”

The feline watched in surprise as she disappeared through her trap door.

While he waited for the girl to return, he reflected on what had happened in the alley. Yes, he did care about Marinette. It was indisputable. She was a precious friend, both for him as Chat Noir and for him as Adrien. He didn't want anything to happen to her, especially to her and more to her than to anybody else — except Ladybug, of course. If he had lost Marinette he wouldn't be just sad. He would be devastated. Marinette was the one who could bring a smile back to his face on a dull day, the one who always made him laugh even if he didn’t have the inclination, the one who knew him better than anyone, Ladybug included. Yes, he loved Marinette, she was a special friend, his special friend.

Marinette came back holding two mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows; the feline's eyes shone with greed. It was something he would NEVER be allowed to to drink at the Mansion.

“This is to thank you for your help,” she explained, handing him one of the mugs.

The feline gave her a kitten smile, and beamed as if it was Christmas. They both leaned on the iron railing of Marinette's balcony, their gazes lost admiring Paris.

They stayed like that for a long time, silently sharing the hot chocolate, just enjoying the moment. They sighed at the same time and looked at each other before laughing.

In the distance, the bells of Notre-Dame rang, announcing the beginning of a new hour. Chat Noir looked at his baton, surprised as he hadn’t even noticed how fast time had gone by. He was about to say his goodbyes to Marinette when his hand brushed against the small bulge in his pocket. He hesitated, wondering if it was really a good idea to do so, but eventually he took the small velvet packet out of his pocket. Suddenly nervous, he handed it to the girl who looked at him in surprise.

“It's ... uh ... your Christmas present, Marinette.” He rubbed the back of his neck in embarrassment and added, lowering his gaze to avoid her stunned one, “I wanted to give it to you on Christmas Eve, but I don't know if I can come see you then.” Chat Noir shrugged. “You are my only friend, apart from Ladybug, when I wear the mask. I wanted to give you a little something.”

“Oh, Chat Noir!” Marinette's voice was full of emotions and, when he dared to look at her again, her eyes were shining. His heart tightened in his chest, which he thought weird, but he told himself it must be because of the emotion he could read in her eyes. “Can I open it?” she asked softly.

The feline nodded and watched her pull on the two small cords that opened the small box. She turned the box over her hand and a small silver chain fell into the palm of her hand, together with a small onyx figurine of a black cat with eyes made of emerald green stones. Marinette gasped loudly.

“It's beautiful, Chat Noir! It's way too much! You shouldn’t have!”

The feline opened his mouth to say a pun, but then changed his mind and explained the symbolism of his gift in a serious manner. “This little cat will watch over you when I'm not around.”

Marinette stared at him with her eyes wide before getting close to him and kissing his cheek.

The next moment Marinette disappeared into her room again. “Don't move, Chat Noir. I have something for you too!”

The feline stared blankly at the skylight door to the girl's bedroom and put a hand on his cheek, just where she had put her lips. It tingled and his heart was pounding in his chest. Perhaps it was the surprise because of his gesture? Or because of the anticipation, as she had something for _him_ , Chat Noir? He didn't know and, at that precise moment, he didn't care.

Marinette reappeared finally and handed him a package wrapped in a green gift box with a small black bow. The feline smiled and took the gift timidly.

“Merry Christmas, Chat Noir.”

“Merry Christmas, Marinette,” he replied, examining the package he was holding so ceremoniously .

A few minutes passed without the feline doing anything, so Marinette ended up pushing it a little. “You won't open it?”

“Yes, yes, of course.” He carefully unwrapped his present to find a little red and black polka dotted Maneki-Neko, which Marinette had obviously personalized just for him.

“They say that black cats are unlucky, so I thought that by offering you this little Chinese cat amulet in the colors of Ladybug, it would keep your bad luck away.

Chat Noir was so overwhelmed by the gift that he almost dropped it. He put it gently on the floor, as if it were a priceless treasure, and hugged Marinette.

“Thank you. Thank you so much, Marinette.”

She seemed to hesitate for a moment before hugging him back. “You deserve it, Chaton.”

xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx

The following day, on his way down to the second day of the photoshoot for the Charity album, Adrien was beaming. He just couldn’t take that smile off his face. The night before, after leaving Marinette’s balcony, he had landed in his room and had stared at the little Maneki-Neko for hours, literally falling asleep holding it in his hands. He had been deeply touched that Marinette had thought of getting a present for him Chat Noir. He was so glad to have followed Plagg’s advice to give her the figurine as Chat Noir! Marinette was so amazing, she had put such a great amount of thought and work into getting a present for Chat Noir, not even knowing if they would have met before Christmas. She really was an amazing person and a true friend.

He was so lost in his thoughts, that he didn’t realise that the sedan had come to a halt and had been still for some time. When he heard the loud grunt of the Gorilla from the front of the car, he blinked and gasped as if he had just woken up from a dream, and looked around. Wow, the location was definitely central and, usually, every morning the traffic was quite manic, but today the situation had gone really out of control. The last time he had looked out of the window he remembered having seen the exact same shop, in the exact same spot from his window.

“How long have we been stuck here?” he inquired politely. The Gorilla made a sign meaning ‘around and then signaled a 3 and an 0. Wow. they had been in the same spot for half an hour? At this stage he was never going to reach the location for the photoshoot. It wasn’t too far; he could actually nearly see it from where the car was, but there was still some way to go. And judging by the beeps coming from all over the road in front of them, it didn't look like they were going to move any time soon.

“Could you open the door? I will walk from here,” he tentatively said, but the Gorilla banged his fist on the steering wheel and signaled a ‘no’ with his left hand. “Oh come on. The photoshoot is for a good cause, it’s just a few days left before Christmas and if we need to reschedule the shoot today, the charity will never be able to print the album on time. Open the door. It’s only down the road from here, I can walk!”

After uttering a further loud grunt, the Gorilla signaled ‘no’ with his hand again. Adrien sighed and sat a bit more comfortably on his seat, folding his arms on his chest and crossing his legs. He loved the Gorilla to bits, sometimes the man was the only — uh, _kind of_ — ‘friendly’ face he would see in the mansion. But one thing was sure: he was stubborn. 

Another ten minutes passed as Adrien kept tapping his foot on the floor of the sedan and his right index finger on his left bicep. The Gorilla kept looking at the road, groaning and shooting him deadly glares (which Adrien knew didn’t mean he had done anything wrong, just that the Gorilla was upset that Adrien was getting late for his photoshoot). Then, he let out a loud sigh and he pushed the button to release the car door.

Adrien’s eyes widened. “You’re not joking, are you?” The Gorilla shook his head and signaled him to go. “Thank you! I promise I will be careful!” That said, Adrien opened the door of the sedan and stepped out, and then onto the footpath. He waved brightly at his bodyguard who attempted to answer him with a grimace that looked suspiciously like a smile. Adrien picked up his phone and sent a quick text to Nathalie,

**[The way to the shoot is chock block with traffic. We’ve been stuck in the same spot for over half an hour. I’m walking from here. All good, I’m safe.]**

Just seconds after he sent the message, his phone pinged and he saw a message incoming from Nathalie. Wow, she was quick. 

**[I’ll keep an eye on your satellite tracker. Be careful and don’t get distracted. The shoot is starting in twenty minutes.]**

Adrien sighed. Of course she would keep track of him with the satellite tracker installed on his phone. No way that he was allowed a little bit of privacy, or that they showed him some actual trust. 

**[Okay, thanks!]** He sent the message and then sped up his pace trying to get to his destination as quickly as possible. 

The morning breeze had a very strong chill in it and the dark clouds in the sky didn’t promise anything good for that afternoon, but as he walked past the shops all lit up for Christmas and admired the beautiful decorations that adorned the roads, Adrien couldn't help feeling happy that the traffic had been so bad. 

“This is nice,” said Plagg, emerging from the inside pocket of his coat. “It’s such a rare occasion that you’re allowed to go out for a walk. You should take advantage of it. Forget that shoot and let’s have a walk around town.”

Adrien shot him a disapproving glare. “No, Plagg. It’s the first time that my father allows me to participate in a shoot made to support such an important cause. I’m not going to mess it up and let down the staff there only because _you_ want to have a walk around town.”

“Okay, okay,” said the little God of Destruction with a sigh. “You and your sense of duty. Never mind.” The little furball disappeared again into his coat and Adrien rolled his eyes before speeding his pace up a little bit. Apparently he had thought that the location was closer than what it was in reality. Nathalie had said that the shoot was starting in twenty minutes, but as much as he walked fast, he was still quite far. Finally he reached the last crossroad and he knew that the photoshoot location was just round the corner. But the moment that he turned such a corner, he found himself colliding into someone. 

“Ouch, I’m terribly sorry,” he said before even looking up to see who it was.

“No, it’s my fault, are you—” said the voice of a woman, but as Adrien opened his eyes, he saw the astonished look on her face, and also saw that she had a camera strapped to her neck. “You’re Adrien Agreste!” she shouted, and as she did that, a load of people that were standing in front of the photoshoot location turned around. 

SHOOT. Paparazzi! And fans, from what he could see (some people didn’t seem to have cameras but instead held gifts in their hands). He should have expected it, there was no way that he was going to have a photoshoot without a whole horde of people trying to get at him! 

“You shouldn’t have walked, _gamin_ ,” said Plagg from inside his coat. “Now you better run…” But Adrien didn’t manage to run, because as he gave Plagg’s statement a decisive nod, the whole horde of stanners ran all around him and he found himself overwhelmed by people screaming, trying to touch him, shake his hand, put gifts in his arms… you say it, they did it. 

“Adrien! Adrien, please an autograph!” “Take a picture with me, Adrien!” “Please Adrien smile at the camera!” “Adrien, look here!” “Please, Adrien, take this from me, you’re awesome!” he didn’t know where to look and what to do, he only managed to keep the hands of the most fervent stanners away from him, smile dumbly at a few cameras, and get his arms full with at least five or six different gifts and packages of all shapes and sizes. He had also somehow gotten a massive bunch of flowers which he did his best not to drop by holding it between his head and his right shoulder. 

Then, he didn’t even realise it was happening. He felt the familiar zip of the yoyo, he felt the familiar sensation of a cord wrapping around his body (and the bunch of flowers somehow) so he looked around and said, “Sorry, guys, it was nice seeing you, but I seem to be a bit tangled here. Buy the album when it comes out! It’s for a good caaaaaaaause!” He barely managed to finish saying it, that he felt the even more familiar pull and his body was dragged up in the air, landing on a rooftop nearby.

He faked immense surprise as he whispered, “Ladybug?”

The young heroine smiled at him and he got lost staring into those wonderful bluebell eyes. He hadn’t expected to see her today, since it wasn’t a patrol day or night, and, more than anything, he didn’t expect to see her _here_ , or that she would help him. She had told Chat Noir-him that she was very busy today… what was she doing there?

“You looked as if you could use a little help,” she said. She smiled again and he couldn’t prevent his cheeks from blushing deep red and his hand from awkwardly scratching the nape of his neck. 

“Uh yes, thank you, Ladybug. I-I was stuck in traffic with my sedan and was going to be late for my photoshoot so I walked. It was a silly idea,” he admitted shyly and laughed a high pitched, nervous laugh. “I’m so stupid.”

“Oh nonononono,” said Ladybug putting her hands in front of her. “You’re not stupid. You’re perfect. I mean, it was perfect. A perfect idea. You couldn’t know that they’d theen bere. I-I mean, that they’d be there. Yes.” As she stammered and vomited that cascade of words, she blushed crimson, so much so that her face nearly reached the same shade as her suit. Adrien smiled at the behaviour. It felt familiar, so familiar. Too familiar. Why did it feel so familiar? 

“It was nice of you to help me, Ladybug. I’m sure you’ve got much more important things to do than saving an insignificant model who can’t even handle his own fans. What were you doing here at this time of the day, by the way?”

“Oh, nothing in particular. Not that I was following you or something. I was—” she paused for a second and looked up before continuing, “I w-was on _patrol_. Yes. On patrol. Just a normal patrol day.”

‘ _Liar_ ,’ thought Adrien. Why was Ladybug lying? She didn’t have patrol today. In fact, they didn’t have patrol for at least another couple of days (and nights). But he didn’t want to embarrass her, and he couldn’t let on that he knew that she was lying without jeopardising his identity, so he just said, “I see.” 

He wanted to add that probably she had much more important superhero things to do than to have a conversation with him on a rooftop, but the words died in his throat when he heard a loud whistle. The whistle sounded too close to be coming from four storeys down, so it must have come from near them. Who on Earth would be spying them on a rooftop? And trying to get their attention by whistling?

He started to look around, while Ladybug seemed to still be freaking out, repeating the same lie about being on patrol and didn’t appear to have heard the whistle at all. He looked at her from the corner of his eye, as he kept scanning their surroundings. She was so cute, all flustered like that. She reminded him of someone, but he couldn’t grasp whom. 

Then, he caught something black moving above their heads and looked up, to see Plagg waving his little paws at him and pointing at the bouquet that he had received from a fan before Ladybug saved him earlier. Hang on, how did the bouquet end up there? It was right above their heads, balancing on a chimney. Had _Plagg_ put it there? Why?

He frowned at his furry friend, and raised an eyebrow, jerking his head, trying to remind Plagg that he needed to hide. However, Plagg pointed at the bouquet again, and when Adrien saw what exactly he was pointing at, his face became even more crimson than Ladybug’s. Between the red flowers of poinsettias and the branches of Butcher's brooms, were a few sprigs of _mistletoe_. Surely noticing his embarrassment, Plagg smirked and then puckered his lips, mimicking a kiss. Adrien glared at him, and Plagg seemed to move to fold his little arms on his chest, when he gasped quietly and zipped behind the bouquet. 

Adrien moved his gaze to Ladybug and, sure enough, she was now also looking at the bouquet. First eyeing it with concern, then frowning at it, then staring at it eyes wide, as her cheeks caught fire. Adrien didn’t know what to do. He wanted to thank Ladybug for going out of her way to save him, and he knew Christmas was just a few days away. He also had the gift he had picked up for her, right in his pocket (just in case an akuma appeared and he managed to spend some time with his Lady). But first of all, that was Chat Noir’s gift to her and second… it would sound fishy if a random civilian was walking around town carrying a Christmas present for Ladybug, right? 

As he saw Ladybug move her puzzled gaze from the bouquet to his face, he heard Plagg whisper, "Psst!" trying to catch his attention again. He looked up, masking it as a gesture of embarrassment by moving his hand to the nape of his neck. Plagg pointed again at the mistletoe, then at them two, then mimicked again a kiss and glared at him. Adrien sighed, accepting defeat. 

"Uh, Ladybug? I-I would like to thank you properly for helping me, and also wish you a merry Christmas, but I don't have anything to give you." He saw Ladybug's cheeks becoming an even deeper shade of red, if possible.

"You need do anything, I mean you _don't_ need to do anything, really, it's my duty. Yes, my patrol. I mean, my duty _on_ patrol. Help civilians!"

He smiled softly. Usually she looked confident and sassy with him when he was Chat Noir. Seeing her so embarrassed and vulnerable was... _different_. She was still as cute as always though. In fact, even more so. 

"But I _want_ to," he said. Then he looked up. "And I don't know how that ended up there, but there's some mistletoe in it. May I?" 

As Ladybug nodded ever so slightly, he thanked all saints in heaven for his training as a model, because he managed to fake confidence and not melt in a puddle of goo at her feet. His heart was beating so madly in his chest that it felt as if it wanted to come out of his ribcage. He locked his gaze with hers, and was surprised to notice the intensity in her bluebell eyes. Why was she looking at him like this? She had never looked at Chat Noir that way; not even after he came back to help her after giving up his Miraculous in New York. His heartbeat fastened even more. What did that mean? 

As he thought that, he had moved slowly but inexorably his face towards Ladybug’s and now they were mere millimeters apart. He was so close he could feel her breath tickling his lips and could almost count the freckles dusting her nose. He felt her sucking in a breath and he followed his gut, closing all distance between them. 

_Good Lord Jesus_. He thought he would have felt the butterflies. He thought his heart would have gone into overdrive. He thought he would have felt dizzy, ecstatic, ready to jump on cloud nine. But nope, these expectations didn’t even come close to the kaleidoscope of sensations that the mere contact with Ladybug’s lips gave him. Why didn’t the books say it clearly? Why didn’t they mention the surge of 10,000 kilowatts of electricity that sprang all over his body? And in his stomach… they weren’t just butterflies. They were an atomic bomb. His legs started feeling like jelly, his heart pounded so heavily in his chest that he thought he was going to hyperventilate. 

Her hands were instantly in his hair, grasping it and almost pulling it off, and his own hands were holding the small of her waist and were running over the sides of her body, sensually exploring her waist and her back. And when he attempted to deepen the kiss and, after a small gasp, Ladybug let him, the sensations just doubled. He kissed her with hunger and passion, as if there was no tomorrow, and he was gobsmacked to realise that she was answering with the same fervour. Grabbing onto his shoulders, she straddled his waist with her legs and grabbed a stronger hold of his head by the neck, forcing him to deepen the kiss even more. 

It was with great regret that, eventually, he had to part from her for the mere physical need to breathe. He opened his eyes, panting hard, and his gaze got lost in those two pieces of ocean that were staring back with a passion he had never seen in them before.

“My Lady…” he whispered, and then realised what he had said and _who_ he was while he had said it and gasped loudly as her eyes widened in shock. “Uuuuuh, ...bug! My Ladybug!” His face must have become a newly discovered shade of crimson as Ladybug stiffened in their embrace and came off his waist, frowning at him and giving him a deadly serious look. He smiled nervously. “That was amazing,” he eventually said, as soon as his racing heart started slowing down and he regained control of his voice. 

Ladybug gave him a cunning smile and ran a finger on his chest, looking at him straight in the eye. “It was. Best Christmas present ever!” to which Adrien’s face, which had started cooling down a little, exploded again in a new burst of heat. And when she moved closer to him and put a hand on his waist, he thought he was going to faint.

Ladybug smiled. Oh my. Already that kiss had been more than she had ever imagined a kiss with Adrien could be, but… the bombshell he had just dropped? Could he hear the mad beating of her heart? She had recently thought it might have been time to find out, but not like this. 

_Not now._

_I don’t feel ready._

_I haven’t washed my hair._

_I’m not wearing my lucky socks._

She couldn’t _possibly_ have just found out that the love of her life and the sneaky but generous partner that had slowly earned a massive place in her heart were just one wonderful person! But his reaction after his slip had had the consequence of _completely_ giving him away, even if she knew he had done it for damage control. Ladybug now had no doubts whatsoever that the person standing in front of her, his gorgeous face beautifully flushed in deep embarrassment as she wrapped her arm around his waist, was _Chat Noir_ . Her kitty. Her... _love_. She felt so overwhelmed she would have liked to scream.

And instead she looked at him warmly and said, “Your photoshoot is inside that building right? I’ll get you to the other side of the gate, into the courtyard, shall I?” That said, she twirled her yoyo and used it to propel both to the next rooftop and, in a couple of jumps, she reached the other side of the gate and quickly released him. 

“Uh, so… thanks for your help, Ladybug, and, I suppose, see you next time.” He was still rubbing the nape of his neck and was still looking down, unable to meet her gaze.

“Yes, until next time, Adrien. Good luck with your photoshoot! Bug out!” she said, gave him a last look full of sentiment and with a twirl of her yoyo, she was gone. Adrien could only look at the beautiful red and black polka dotted figure jumping away and sigh. 

He hoped he had been able to get her off his scent after his slip, or he was completely and utterly _screwed_!

xXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXxXXx

Marinette’s heart kept racing madly in her chest as she jumped from rooftop to rooftop helping herself with her yoyo. If someone could have seen her in the face, they would have worried that maybe she had been akumatised or that she had become a zombie, because her eyes were wide open, her face as white as a sheet and her expression matched that of the protagonist of the painting ‘The Scream’. 

She zipped over the rooftops of Paris in a mad haste and landed quietly on her balcony at the top of the boulangerie, but her internal turmoil was the complete opposite of quiet. She marched quickly to the skylight window, jumped inside her room, picked up her pillow, whispered “Spots off,” and then she pushed the pillow to her mouth, closed her eyes, and let out a big, massive loud scream. Tikki, who had just come out of her earrings, looked at her with a frown.

“Are you okay, Marinette?” she tentatively asked after her holder finished screaming her fourth scream inside the pillow. 

Marinette moved her gaze to meet the worried eyes of her little friend. “You knew, Tikki. Why didn’t you tell me? Hint it to me at least? Why did you leave me in the dark until now?”

“Knew… what exactly?” asked Tikki as her worried frown widened. 

“Adrien is Chat Noir,” said Marinette, and the loud gasp that Tikki uttered was the last confirmation that she needed. She threw her pillow at Tikki. “You allowed me to keep rejecting him for _him_. Why? Why allow me to break his heart, and mine, like this? Tikki! You’re more cruel than I thought!” 

As she looked at her holder’s eyes filling with tears and at her face sinking into her pillow as loud sobs broke the silence of her room, Tikki’s heart broke a little. “I’m sorry, Marinette. I-I couldn’t tell you. Master Fu didn’t allow me, the magic of the Miraculous didn’t allow me.” She started sniffling. “I didn’t want to hurt you, or him. I was trying to protect you!” The little kwami kept zipping on top of Marinette’s head, trying to pat her hair with her little paws. 

Marinette cried for a long time, but eventually she stopped and, slowly, her head emerged from her pillow. She sat up on her bed and looked at Tikki. “I’m sorry, Tikki. I shouldn’t have had an outburst like that.” She opened up her arms a little and the little kwami flew to her face so fast that Marinette could hardly see her before starting to feel her. She gingerly put a hand on her little friend’s head and gave her a couple of soft strokes. “I do know why you didn’t tell me. I’m sorry, I was just overwhelmed and upset. I-I didn’t expect it. At all.” She quickly explained to Tikki what had happened. 

“It’s not his fault, you know that, Marinette,” said Tikki with a note of concern in her voice. 

“If you’re worried that I may take away his Miraculous, no. I won’t. I would never. He’s Chat Noir and nobody else can be Chat Noir except him. But—”

“But?” asked Tikki, flying right in front of her eyes.

“I think the time has come to leave the secrets behind, Tikki. He deserves to know. And I think I know how to do it.” As she looked at her little friend conspiratorially and stood from her bed to get to her desk underneath, she saw a gleam of pride shining in Tikki’s eyes.

xXx

The following days, Marinette hardly left her bedroom. She had bought a considerable amount of clay and was working almost all day and nearly all night at her desk, making and remaking figurines with it. She kept on destroying what she had made, looking up at the Onyx figurine of the black cat that Adrien had given her the other day and starting to work again. Her mother and father kept bringing food and water up, trying to shake her from what she was creating with requests to join them for family TV nights or video games. But Marinette always refused. 

Her parents looked with curiosity at what she was doing and asked about it, but Marinette told them that it was top secret and that nobody, not even them, was allowed to know. Only when she was satisfied with what she had done did she go downstairs in the kitchen and ask her father the favour of baking the clay in the boulangerie’s oven for her. Which her father obviously accepted eagerly. He asked again what was she doing, but once more Marinette said that it was top secret. 

Then it was the time to paint her creation and decorate it, and she spent even longer trying to get all the details perfect. Truth be told, she was an expert at sewing and at sketching, but she had never really worked with clay, or decorated and painted a small figurine like that. For her chaton though, she had taken the challenge eagerly! 

Eventually, at the crack of dawn on Christmas Eve, as the first streaks of the rising sun had started to tinge the blackness of the sky with shades of orange and indigo, finally Marinette held in her hands what she had worked for many days (and nights) to create. It was a small figurine of Ladybug. Although it was made of clay and not onyx (or another gemstone) like the black cat’s one, the way she had crafted it and painted it made them look a good match. She had even decorated the figurine’s eyes with fake little sapphires, which shone under the light of her desk lamp with a very similar gleam as the emeralds that adorned the black cat in her possession. She smiled, checking that all the details were perfectly executed and then proceeded to put it in the box she had made for it. Then, she wrapped the box up in an exquisite little lime green package with a black bow and a little accent attached to it in the shape of a golden bell. Her heart was racing in her chest as she showed it to Tikki.

“It’s really good, Marinette, both the figurine inside and the wrapping. You’re really good at it,” said the little kwami, giving her holder a proud smile. Marinette beamed at her and stood from her chair, stretching her arms and yawning. 

“Thanks, Tikki. I think I will take a rest now. And then I’ll meet Chat Noir during patrol and give him his present.” She smiled softly as the little kwami flew to her and gave her a cheek hug. Then she climbed up the stairs to her bed on the mezzanine and crashed on it, falling asleep before her head hit the pillow.

xXx

“Little kitty on a roof, all alone without his Lady…” Adrien’s voice echoed in the silence at the top of the Eiffel Tower. As usual, he had been early and his Lady still hadn’t arrived at their meeting place for patrol. He was enjoying the last few minutes of sitting down admiring the wonderful lights of the City of Love. 

He had spent the last couple of days in a mixture of euphoria and pure terror. Even the Gorilla had commented on his ever changing mood. But Adrien couldn’t help it. He kept thinking about the kiss he had shared with Ladybug, which was making him melt in a puddle of goo, and of the mistake he had made right after, which was causing his insides to twitch and freeze each time. 

He knew he had screwed up. He knew that if Ladybug had heard what he had said, she would have figured him out in seconds. And he knew also that her reaction could have been an indication that she had indeed done just that. Although a little part of his brain was still hoping that her shock was only due to the kiss that they had exchanged and that maybe he had whispered the word so softly that she hadn’t been able to hear it. He was holding onto this possibility as if his life depended on it. It didn’t matter how many times Plagg had tried to console him and tell him that everything would be all right. He couldn’t shake the feeling out that his Lady now _knew_. But maybe she did not. But maybe she did. 

This uncertainty was driving him insane!

Finally, he heard the familiar sound of the yoyo zipping around and the wonderful scent of Ladybug hit his nostrils as the young woman landed softly on the metallic platform next to him, and sat down. 

“ _Bonsoir, minou_. How are you?” she asked, shooting a warm smile at him. She seemed to have a small backpack behind her back, and the sense of pure joy that shone in her eyes was contagious. For the first time in days, Adrien smiled truthfully and felt himself relaxing. 

“It’s definitely a good evening now, My Lady. You’re here with me.” He looked at the moon shining bright in the starry sky and sighed happily. “Merry Christmas Eve!”

“Merry Christmas Eve to you too, Chaton. And about that… I have a small present for you. Do you want to get it before or after patrol?” she purred.

Adrien looked at her with his eyes wide. Not only she didn’t seem to be angry at him, but she had also gotten a _present_ for him? Maybe she hadn’t heard him for real, then! He smiled his model smile and tried to feign confidence, while inside he wanted to scream. “As a matter of fact, _Buginette_ , I have a present for you, too. And I can’t wait for you to see it.”

“So are we exchanging presents now?” she wondered.

“Of course.” He zipped down the pocket at the side of his suit and took out a long rectangular packet nicely wrapped up in silver and gold, which he placed into his partner’s hands. “Merry Christmas, _Buginette_.”

The gleam of delight in her eyes was a gift on its own. He smiled proudly as Ladybug held her breath looking at the present and started unwrapping it carefully. The gold ribbon fell off first, immediately followed by the silver wrapping paper. What was left was a wooden indigo box, which Ladybug opened up hastily. To then hold her breath and gasp, looking almost unable to carry on breathing at the sight of what the box contained. 

“Uh, I’m sorry, My Lady. I should have known you wouldn’t like it. But you know me, I’m a hopeless romantic; I was hoping that maybe for once you would accept it. Because it’s a special rose. It’s an eternity rose. It’s a real rose, but it’s dipped in gold. There are some earrings and a necklace too there, you see, those little bags? B-but i-if you don’t like it, d-don’t worry, I have a back-up gift he—” 

He spoke so quickly that Marinette caught only half of what he had said. That half was enough, though, because her already overwhelmed heart just melted into a puddle of goo. In the box, shining in the pale light of the moon half covered with dark clouds, was a[ beautiful red rose dipped in gold, contoured by three little bags, one bigger and two smaller ](https://www.eternityrose.com.au/gifts-for-her/eternity-roses/red-matched-set-in-gold-heart-theme-tight-bud-rose). 

Inside the box was the inscription, ‘Eternity rose’ and when, with shaky fingers, she dared unwrap the bigger bag, the small diamonds around the red petals of the rose on the pendant shone so brightly that nearly blinded her. There was even a certificate of authenticity with it! 

Stupid cat. How much money had he spent on that? Those diamonds looked real! When she finally caught up with what he was saying, she realised that he thought she hadn’t liked it. And he was also saying that he had a _backup gift_?

_What??_

She carefully put the box down on the opposite side from where he was sitting and gave him a look of utter amazement. “Say that again?” she asked.

“What? That if you don’t like it, I have a backup gift?” She could clearly see the panic in his eyes and how nervous and worried he was, because his hand had reached the nape of his neck, and knowing now _who_ he was, she knew perfectly well that he only did that when he was nervous, or uncomfortable. 

She looked at him with watery eyes. “Silly _minou_. Why do you always need to be so wonderful?” That said, she wrapped him in a tight hug and felt his body stiffening for a second. She could picture in her mind’s eye his eyes widening in shock and his cheeks dusting beautifully in pink. Then, she felt him relax and reciprocate her hug. 

“Does that mean that… you like it? You’re going to keep it?” he tentatively asked. Her heart broke. Poor _chaton_. She had been so cruel with him, rejecting him all that time. His voice was so shaky that she understood his internal turmoil and hugged him tighter. 

“Of course I will, stupid cat,” she said, as she pulled away from their hug and looked at him very seriously in the eye with a frown. She pouted and picked up her little backpack from her back, opened the top of it and carefully placed the wooden box he had gifted her inside. Then, she took out a small box wrapped in lime green and black. She could see the gleam of curiosity in his eyes, and that did make her feel better. “It’s just… now my present for you looks so lame!” She threw the gift at him and sighed, her gaze getting lost admiring the bright lights of the _Ville Lumière_. 

With the corner of her eyes, she saw him stretching to catch the box and start literally gawking at it with his eyes wide. She smiled and eyed him shyly. “You know, _chaton_ , the present won’t open itself.”

That brought him back to reality. He blinked once, and then twice, and then grinned from ear to ear. “There’s a present for me inside this box?” He picked the box with both hands and started shaking it near his ear. “I wonder what can be inside!” 

He was so genuinely excited in his anticipation that his euphoria was contagious. Marinette smiled softly at him and giggled. “There’s only one way to find out! Come on, open it!”

He didn’t let her say it twice. Hastily, his hands undid the black bow and then his claws tore into the lime wrapping paper, revealing a little cardboard box. 

“Sorry, I didn’t have anything better to put the present in, so I made the box as well,” she confessed. 

Adrien’s grin widened somehow. “You _made_ it? You mean you made it yourself? It's a _homemade_ gift?” He squealed when his partner nodded. “How can it be lame, _Buginette_? You spent time and effort to make a present for me? And you call it lame? I’m the happiest cat alive!” As he said that, he opened the box and when he took out of it the little Ladybug figurine, he looked at her with a massive frown.

Marinette’s heart skipped a beat when she noticed his puzzled expression, and then started racing in her chest. She put a hand where her heart was beating madly and looked down, heat spreading on her cheeks and neck.

“I love it, _Buginette_. It’s really cute,” he said stretching his arms to look at the figurine playfully. “It will be a great addition to my Ladybug collection! And you made it for me. I will have this figurine next to my bed every night.” He grinned and glanced at her cunningly. She felt even more heat emanating from her face and neck. 

She sucked her breath in, clenched her fists and grabbed the material of her suit on her thighs. It was now or never. “I-I thought it would m-match the one you gave _me_ a few days ago, _chaton_.” After she said it, she finally managed to meet his gaze with hers and could clearly see the confusion in his frown. Then, a gleam of understanding flashed through his eyes, which had now gone wide, his mouth gaping open, as all colour dropped off his cheeks. 

“Oh my God!” His eyes filled with tears as he literally pounced on her and wrapped her up in the tightest hug she had ever received. Then he broke the hug, still keeping his hands on her arms, and kept staring at her, tears running freely down his cheeks. He moved a hand from her arm and cupped it on her cheek, wiping away a single tear that was wetting the corner of her mask. He was sobbing so wholeheartedly that he started to hiccup, his lips quivering and shaking. 

Marinette lowered her gaze again. Why was’t he talking? Had she been too optimistic to think that he would have been happy? “Sorry to disappo—” she started to say, but couldn’t finish because he moved so quickly, hugged her again and then met her lips with his, shutting her up with the softest of kisses. 

He put a finger on her lips as they parted to breathe and rested his forehead on hers, looking at her tenderly in the eye. “I love you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Don’t you dare say that you disappointed me. Ever.” He smiled, as a deep crimson blush spread all over her face and tears started falling from her eyes.

She hugged him, as the words that she had wanted to say since the day he gave her his umbrella came out of her lips so easily she was almost shocked by it. “I love you too, Adrien Agreste. I’ve loved you all along. You were the other boy and… _I’m_ the happiest girl alive!” She could hardly breathe for how strong was his embrace. 

“This. This is the best Christmas ever! The best Christmas present ever! How can a reveal be a lame present, My Lady? You deserve even the backup present. You deserve to be showered with presents from this moment on!”

He squeezed her and then let go, his hand reaching shakily for the other pocket of his suit, unzipping it and taking out another little box wrapped in red and black polka dotted paper and a white little bow.

“Adrien, you shouldn’t have. Keep it for another time!” she tried to argue, putting a hand on his and trying to make him put the present back in his pocket. She did wonder how he managed to fit stuff in those pockets though, and still look as if he had nothing into them. Must be the magic of the suit.

“I insist. You must open it, Marinette, please.” The pleading look in his beautiful eyes would have melted the resolve of a much stronger person than Marinette. She picked the present up and unwrapped it without tearing her gaze from his, and when she opened the little box and finally looked at what it contained, her eyes widened in surprise.

“D-do you call this a b-backup p-present?” She opened her mouth and couldn’t get to close it. In the box was a beautiful gold bracelet, adorned with five small bluebells, each topped with a little ladybug coming out of them. It was the most beautiful bracelet she had ever seen.

“The bluebells match your eyes,” he said looking at her softly as she broke down in tears again. She picked the bracelet up and moved to put it on her wrist using one hand, but he reached out and helped her. “It fits perfectly,” he said with an amused grin.

“It’s a _bracelet_ , Adrien, not a pair of shoes. Of course it fits,” she deadpanned frowning at him, her arms folded on her chest. But soon, a new smile curled her lips, as she moved a hand to flick his bell and scratch his chin. The bell rang in the silence of the night as the two superheroes in love exchanged the softed of looks again. 

“By the way,” she said with a mischievous grin, “there’s this _good friend_ of mine. A _really_ good friend of mine.” Her gaze travelled down his suit as she said that, causing him to gulp awkwardly. “That friend has gifted me for Christmas two VIP tickets for Jagged Stone’s New Year concert. So… I was wondering if by any chance your father would allow you to come with me?” 

Adrien’s smile literally lit up the whole Eiffel Tower as if it was midday. “I thought you would go with Alya, or with Luka.” He blushed a little when he mentioned the latter.

“Nah. Alya’s already gotten tickets to go with Nino and Nora, and Luka—well, Luka’s a friend.” She looked at him through her eyelashes, deeply enjoying his embarrassment at her statement. “So there’s only one person I would want to go to the concert with.”

“Of course, _Buginette_!” Adrien beamed again and gave her another hug. They held the embrace for a long time, just happy to enjoy each other’s warmth, until at the strike of midnight, when their lips met again.

“Merry Christmas, Adrien,” whispered Marinette softly.

“Merry Christmas to you, My Lady. I’m so happy that it’s you!” And that said, he kissed her again, as the first snowflakes started falling from the dark sky. 

That was going to be a really _Miraculous_ Christmas.

* * *

* * *

**Authors’ Note:**

**Hi there! This story is a collaboration between JuliaFC and Etoile-Lead-Sama as a Christmas present for our wonderful friend and beta Agrestebug.**

**You may think: it’s nearly February, it’s too late for Christmas presents. And you may be right… Agrestebug _did_ get the story at Christmas, but it took a little longer to get it all translated in English (Etoile writes in French, so Julia translated her two corners of the lovesquare on her behalf, to allow you readers who don’t speak French to understand too. Etoile is translating Julia’s side of the story in French too, so stay tuned!). Anyways, it doesn’t matter when it’s published, right? What matters is the thought. And the fact that Agrestebug got it in time for Christmas!**

**Hope you liked the story and you will decide to leave us a comment or a kudos, or why not? Both? Is it asking much? :)**

**Until our next collaboration,**

**Bug out!**


End file.
